How to Treat Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes severe swings in a person's mood and behavior. Bipolar disorder is also referred to as manic depression. Seeking treatment for bipolar disorder is extremely important in order to lead a manageable life. The most common treatment approaches are medication, psychotherapy and, though used less frequently, electro-convulsive therapy.

Instructions

Manage Treatment of Bipolar Disorder

• 1

  Take medication prescribed by your doctor to help stabilize your mood. Antidepressants such as fluoxetine, more commonly known as Prozac, paroxetine and setraline, also known as **** and Zoloft respectively, are often used to help treat symptoms of depression. Lithium is usually the primary form of treatment used to regulate and prevent manic episodes. A variety of anti-seizure and antipsychotic medications are often given depending on the patient's symptoms.

• 2

  Discuss quetiapine, marketed as Seroquel, with your doctor as a possible approach to treat both symptoms of depression and manic episodes. This medication was approved by the Food and Drug Administration and may be able to help manage several aspects of your condition, rather than taking several different medications that could have conflicting side effects.

• 3

  Be patient as you begin taking a new medication. It often takes several weeks or even months for medications to begin working. It's important to try to distinguish any changes in your symptoms so that you can communicate with your doctor about the effect

• 4

  Meet with a psychotherapist to help manage your bipolar disorder. Your doctor will usually recommend psychotherapy in conjunction with the medication you are taking. Discussing the details of your condition may help you and your doctor better understand whether or not the medication is helping or if a different approach should be taken.

• 5

  Talk openly with your psychotherapist about your feelings and concerns regarding your bipolar disorder. Being honest about your condition is the most important way to help your psychotherapist observe patterns in the way bipolar disorder affects your mood and behavior, and hopefully be able to help you better cope with it.

• 6

  Consider electro-convulsive therapy, also referred to as ECT, if the symptoms of your bipolar disorder do not improve despite other treatment approaches. Your doctor might suggest this form of therapy if you experience suicidal thoughts or deep depression. This method uses electric currents sent through the brain with electrodes to cause a brain seizure, allowing blood to flow to other parts of your brain.